Here are a few ways to get involved in taking care of Michigan’s natural resources in October. For more opportunities to volunteer, contribute and provide input, visit Michigan.gov/DNRVolunteers.
 Several state parks in southern Michigan will host volunteer stewardship workdays in October. Volunteers are needed to help with removing invasive plants that threaten high-quality ecosystems in the parks or collecting native wildflower and grass seeds.
Please note that registration is required for all volunteer workdays.
Workdays will take place:
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 2, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2, at Algonac State Park (St. Clair County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 3, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3, at Maybury State Park (Wayne County)
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 9, at Bald Mountain Recreation Area (Oakland County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 9, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 10, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County)
- 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 16, at Belle Isle Park (Wayne County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 16, at Warren Dunes State Park (Berrien County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17, at Brighton Recreation Area (Livingston County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 17, at Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Barry County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at Highland Recreation Area (Oakland County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Sunday, Oct. 24, at Fort Custer Recreation Area (Kalamazoo County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at Waterloo Recreation Area (Washtenaw County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Island Lake Recreation Area (Livingston County)
- 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 30, at Muskegon State Park (Muskegon County)
- 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31, at Pinckney Recreation Area (Washtenaw County)
More details about each workday and how to register can be found on the DNR volunteer events calendar. |
 The DNR responsibly manages 3.9 million acres of state forest land using such techniques as timber harvests, planting and prescribed burns to keep forests thriving and healthy.
To make the work more efficient and easier to oversee, the DNR divides those millions of acres into 15 forest management units, which are further divided into compartments. Management activity in each forest management unit is finalized two years in advance. This summer and fall, recommendations for 2023 are being presented.
Open houses for 2021 are virtual, with input invited by email, phone or mail during the designated time frame. This gives people the opportunity to offer input to foresters, wildlife biologists and other DNR professionals regarding forest plans.
After the end of each comment period, a public compartment review meeting will take place, where foresters present the DNR’s final decisions on management activities. The DNR reviews 10% of the state forest annually. That equates to about 400,000 acres or roughly 220 compartments.
For more information, including a link to the interactive forest map showing details of all forest management activities, visit Michigan.gov/ForestInput.
Below are the comment periods taking place in October and the related compartment reviews. Contact the area unit manager to make arrangements to view the compartment review meeting online or listen over the phone.
- Grayling: Comments through Oct. 7; compartment review is Oct. 21. Contact Thomas Barnes, 989-348-6371, ext. 7440.
- Newberry: Comments through Oct. 14; compartment review is Oct. 26. Keith Magnusson, 906-291-0120.
See a full comment period schedule. |
 On the Ground – Michigan United Conservation Clubs’ volunteer wildlife habitat improvement program in partnership with the DNR – is looking for volunteers for the following projects in October.
Tree planting with the National Wild Turkey Federation near Frederic (Crawford County)
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 2
Help improve wildlife habitat by planting mature, mast-producing trees on public land north of Grayling near Frederic. Volunteers are needed to help plant, cover and fence 100 trees that will provide foraging material and additional cover for wildlife like wild turkey, white-tailed deer, ruffed grouse and songbirds. Shovels and all other equipment will be provided, although volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves. All registered volunteers will receive free lunch and an OTG volunteer appreciation gift.
Register for Frederic tree-planting event.
Wildflower planting with The Nature Conservancy at Petersburg State Game Area (Monroe County)
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9
Help with the continuing effort to enhance native pollinator habitat at Petersburg State Game Area. Volunteers are needed to help plant the native wildflower blazing star, which is a host plant for the state-imperiled blazing star borer moth and a plant species that benefits pollinators and many other wildlife species. A free lunch will be provided to all registered volunteers, and all participants will receive a volunteer appreciation gift. Volunteers are encouraged to bring their own work gloves and shovels, if possible. These materials will be provided if volunteers are unable to bring their own. Please note that registration for this event closes at 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7.
Register for Petersburg State Game Area wildflower-planting event.
Tree planting on public land near Kalkaska (Kalkaska County)
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16
Help improve wildlife habitat by planting mature, mast-producing trees on public land near Kalkaska. Volunteers are needed to help plant, cover and fence 50 mature trees, which will benefit a variety of wildlife like ruffed grouse, wild turkey and white-tailed deer. All registered volunteers will receive free lunch and a volunteer appreciation gift. MUCC will provide all equipment for this event, although volunteers are asked to bring their own work gloves. Please note that registration for this event closes at 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14.
Register for Kalkaska tree-planting event. |
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Take part in Fall Volunteer Day at Mears State Park in Oceana County Saturday, Oct. 2, and camp the weekend for free. During this annual event, volunteers perform tasks like snow fence setup, takedown of benches, grills and tables throughout the park, table painting, litter pickup and fire pit cleaning. It’s a great opportunity to make friends while helping get the park ready for winter. |
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